The present invention relates generally to making a bed, particularly a waterbed, by applying a sheet and mattress liner or cover thereon and, more particularly, is concerned with a bed sheet stuffing device particularly useful for applying the corners of the sheet and corner straps of the mattress cover under the corners of the mattress of the bed.
Sheets having corner pockets and mattress liners or covers having elastic straps are commonly used to cover and make beds of all types, including waterbeds. These corner pockets and straps are adapted to be stretched and fitted over the mattress corners and across the bottom thereof.
However, due to the inherently tight fit of the water-filled mattress within the peripheral frame of the waterbed, it is difficult for the average person to make the waterbed. To make the waterbed, the person generally has to lift the mattress corner with one hand and grip the sheet corner pocket and mattress cover strap in the other hand. Then, the person must move his or her hand which grips the sheet pocket and cover strap downward between the inner side of the frame and the exterior of the mattress to tuck them under the corner of the mattress. This is awkward to do when at the same time the person is attempting hold up the mattress. Also, the sheet pocket and cover strap tend to pull back out with removal of the person's hand.
A variety of devices have been proposed in the prior patent art for assisting a person in making a waterbed mattress or in keeping it made. Representative of the prior art are the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. to Reaser (4,520,518), Parker (4,535,496), Dolan (4,624,022) and Dunfee (4,686,726). Many of these devices might operate reasonably well and generally achieve their objectives under the limited range of operating conditions for which they were designed. However, none appears to approach and optimum design for facilitating the making of a waterbed mattress.
Consequently, a need still exists for a device which is easy, simple and effective to use in stuffing sheet corners and cover straps under waterbed mattress corners.